


Switch off the phone and switch on the coffee

by JordzEDX



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex Manes Deserves Nice Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:46:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28415595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JordzEDX/pseuds/JordzEDX
Summary: Don't you remember the tool shed?
Relationships: Alex Manes & Rosa Ortecho, Maria DeLuca & Michael Guerin, Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41





	Switch off the phone and switch on the coffee

Walking into the pony is a new experience for me, with my new identity that Alex set up for me and my back story in place I am starting to feel more comfortable going out in the daytime. Visiting Alex was an experience, he looked like his heart was broken but wouldn't say why. He says it's not about me but he isn't ready to discuss it with anyone yet. The last time I saw him before my death he looked just as broken but with bruised ribs and neck instead of heart. He came to me to tell me his entire story and it was devastating. Michael Guerin of all people to fall in love with, keeps to himself and smarter than Liz, full ride to UNM, homeless and sleeping in his truck, but Alex told me that Michael was different than any boy he had ever met, that he just hid all the good stuff under his rough exterier. Sitting with a cola ( Maria still won't serve me even tho I am technically older than her, not my fault I was on ice for 10 years, why couldn't my fake ID make me 21) thinking about what Alex had told me today. Still so scared of his father hurting any man he is with that he can't allow himself to love without consequence. It breaks my heart, the kid full of love and laughter I once knew has gone, vanished under his father's hatred and wars he had no business being in. Wars he only enlisted into to protect the boy he loved from the death threats of his evil father.  
Liz is here with Max, Isabel and Kyle sitting in a booth, I must have been so lost in my Alex thoughts that I missed them on my arrival. Sliding in next to Liz, keeping the 'my brother and sister had sex' jokes inside my head and pretending to pay attention to the conversations around me I see Michael walk in and head towards the bar and kiss Maria openly on the mouth smiling and laughing with her, I can't even contain my shock. The way Alex looked today, so resigned and sad, the way they look together, so happy and drooling over each other I am getting more and more furious as the seconds pass. Alex gave up his dreams to keep that man safe and he repays the favour like this. Maria must know something, she is psychic apparently and picks up on others feelings so what is she playing at. Betraying her friend like this, I hope she doesn't know anything at all and this is a friendship miscalculation because other wise it's just cruel.  
"Why are you glaring at them Rosa?" Liz whispers.  
"Doesn't she know about Alex? Please say she doesn't because if she does then she is betraying him right now and I refuse to think that in ten years they would go from best friends to betrayal" keeping my voice down and steady so no one else can hear.  
"It's hardly a betryal Rosa, Alex and Michael had a fling in high school, it's been ten years since then remember"  
"I remember perfectly, it was in no way a fling. I just left Alex when I got my ID from him and he looks broken so don't say this isn't a betrayal"  
Liz looks stumped, turning away from her I see Michael coming to the booth and I really don't know what to say to him. If I start talking now I might not stop and it will hurt Alex, but Alex has already been hurt in the worst possible way and he really does need someone on his side since no one else seems to be. So I will sit here and try burn a hole into the idiot with a cowboy hats big fat head.  
Time passes and everyone around me has drinks flowing happily, no one mentions Alex at all which to me is dreadful. He was always there for me even though I was older he was protective of me, Liz and Maria, he loved us and wanted us safe. He is the one who would come to us beaten black and blue by Jesse, come to us with words Kyle and the other idiot football players said and he was the one we went too with everything from boy troubles to girl troubles. For Christ sake he would even buy us sanitary products with a side of chocolate and milkshake.  
Michael is staring back at me now with questioning eyes as Maria comes to sit on the edge of the booth.  
"Erm, Rosa are you ok? You've been staring holes into my head for almost an hour" he finally speaks, my anger just climbing every minute he sat in front of me.  
"Have I? Hmm I guess I'm just wondering something."  
"Anything I can help with?" He asks me with a cautious tone to his voice.  
"I'm not sure Michael, how much do you remember about the day I died?" Everyone's head turned to me in panic. Though from what I've figured out non of them even have a clue what I'm going to say.  
"Urm, most of the day. Why are you asking?" He looks panicked like I'm going to blame him for my death or something stupid.  
"Rosa, you know he has nothing to do with your actual death right?" Isabel asks me looking worried.  
"Of course I know that, I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about the Toolshed" everyone looks confused and then I know for sure that only him and I know. He looks panicked.  
"What do you know about that Rosa? He never told anyone and neither did I" he says, staring me down like he is trying to shut me up.  
"I know everything" I say with a shrug of my shoulders and fake non caring.  
"Oh great, now because I'm moving on he wants to bring that up" he shouts causing everyone to look even more confused and anxious.  
I hold my hand up to make him shut the hell up while I count to ten in my head. Twice, once wasn't enough. Twice was barely enough but I have to talk before anyone decides to pipe up and question me.  
"No Michael, he told me everything when it happened. After you left bleeding that day he called me to help him off the ground where his father had kicked his ribs in so bad that three were broken and more were fractured. He called me over to the shed and told me everything that had happened that day. From the kiss to the blood."  
Taking a breather I see tears welling in Maria, Liz and Michaels eyes, everyone is watching him but he is only watching me.  
"Is it weird that I forgive covering up my death but I can't forgive you leaving him there alone with Jesse? I know you were 17 years old and bleeding with your hand smashed with a hammer but you left him there. You ran and he had to face Jesse alone. If you had taken him with you, outside the door even, the neighbours would have seen something and Jesse wouldn't have been able to hurt him more that day, but you didn't Michael. Do you want to hear what happened? No I guess you don't because you knew. Hell us three knew what a monster that man was to Alex and did nothing also so I don't forgive us either. I tried to tell Jim what was going on but he was in Jesse's pocket all along so nothing could be done. He just had to make it a few more weeks then it was graduation and he could leave!"  
Everyone is either crying or looking angry when I look up from the table. Tears falling down my face slowly as I brace myself to run but I can't yet. I haven't said enough apparently. Looking into his eyes I see the pain and regret.  
"A few more weeks, but he fell in love. He said it was beautiful and he didn't regret it, but with every kick he was given on that day his decions were made for him. He signed away his life that day, to protect you. Don't look shocked at that, you knew he loved you even when he didn't tell you. Actions speak louder than words for Alex and enlisting in the air force to save your life after his father threatens to kill you if he doesn't sign, that's some pretty damn big actions." Everyone is stunned to silence still and I take a moment to breathe and count.  
I feel deflated at this point, tired from an emotional rollercoaster of a day.  
"You know, after that day, he is still terrified of being seen with a guy. Incase they get hurt by wanting to be with him. That's all he told me today when I saw him looking broken and so miserable, he wouldn't tell me what was going on, wouldn't tell me anything at all other than he wasn't ready to get the words out. But now I guess it makes sense, his best friend and the boy who he nearly died for."  
Shaking my head I stand to leave ignoring everyone's protests and tears, I've had enough for today. Wiping the tears from my face as I leave the booth and walk to the exit without looking back at the chaos I have just caused. Alex needs someone to be in his corner so it will be me. 

{To Alex} Hola, it's Rosa, I messed up real bad today and need a hug. Can you do me a favour? 

{From Alex} Sure, what is it? 

{To Alex} Can you please switch off your phone until I get to your place, I can explain everything then. 

{From Alex} Worried now but yes, sure, see you soon? 

{To Alex} 20 mins out, turn it off and stick the coffee on. Gonna be a long night.

**Author's Note:**

> This just came to me and was written within the hour. I haven't even watched the show!! Just the Malex playlist on YouTube and read ALOT of the works on here. I don't know how well I portrayed Rosa. I couldn't do Spanish if I tried and I know from works here that she would probably have a few Spanish words thrown in but ... work with what you have.  
> Feedback is welcome


End file.
